Wire splicing tools



Nov. 20, 1962 R. G. STROHMAIER ETAL 3,064,695

WIRE SPLICING TOOLS Filed March 21, 1958 //1 Van furs Ric/1am 6. Jfrofimaier United States This invention relates to new and useful improvements in tools for use in the art of wire splicing, and more particularly, the invention concerns itself with a tool for forming a coil at the end of a piece of wire which is to be spliced to another.

In making a wire splice with the use of the invention, a coil formed at the end of one piece of wire is passed over the straight end of another piece, the convolutions of the coil being spaced somewhat, so that the spaces therebetween may be filled with molten solder which securely binds the two pieces of wire together.

The principal object of the invention is to facilitate convenient and highly expeditious formation of the wire coil in such manner that it is of a proper size to receive the second piece of Wire and so that the convolutions thereof are suitably spaced to receive the solder filler therebetween.

Briefly speaking, the invention comprises an elongated handle having a rod shaped mandrel projecting from one end thereof, the mandrel being adapted to have a wire coil wound thereon while the operator holds the wire with one hand and the handle with the other.

An important feature of the invention resides in arranging the handle and the mandrel so that an annular shoulder exists at the base of the mandrel to abut the wire, while another feature of the invention resides in the provision of means on the aforementioned shoulder for anchoring an end portion of the wire thereto, whereby the wire is firmly held while the coil is being formed.

Some of the advantages of the invention reside in its simplicity of construction, in its efiicient and easy operation, and in its adaptability to economical manufacture.

With the foregoing more important objects and features in view and such other objects and features as may become apparent as this specification proceeds, the invention will be understood from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, wherein like characters of reference are used to designate like parts, and wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a side elevational view of a tool in accordance with the invention;

FIGURE 2 is a fragmentary perspective view thereof on an enlarged scale;

FIGURE 3 is a fragmentary longitudinal sectional View, taken substantially in the plane of the line 3--3 in FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 4 is a cross sectional view, taken substantially in the plane of the line 44 in FIGURE 3;

FIGURE 5 is a fragmentary perspective view, similar to that shown in FIGURE 2 but with a wire coil on the mandrel;

FIGURE 6 is an elevational view showing an end portion of one wire inserted in a coil of another wire to make the splice;

FIGURE 7 is an elevational view of the soldered splice;

FIGURE 8 is a fragmentary elevational view showing a modified form of the tool;

FIGURE 9 is a fragmentary elevational view of the modified form, taken at right angles to that shown in FIGURE 8;

FIGURE 10 is an end view of the tool of FIGURES 8 and 9;

asases Patented Nov. 20, 1962 FIGURE 11 is a fragmentary perspective view, showing the tool of FIGURES 8-10 in use; and

FIGURE 12 is a front end view of an alternative arrangement of the tool.

Referring now to the accompanying drawing in detail, more particularly to FIGURES l-4 inclusive, the invention comprises a tool for forming a wire coil preparatory to splicing, such a tool being designated generally by the reference numeral,10 and embodying in its construction an elongated handle 11 which may be generally of a cylindrical form and which is provided at one end thereof with a diametrically reduced extension 12. p This extension may be considered as a component of the handle and may be either formed integrally therewith or secured thereto in any suitable manner. While the extension 12 is preferably made of metal, the handle 11 may be of wood, fibre, hard rubber, or some other similar material, so that it may be firmly held in the hand without slipping.

In any event, a wire rod shaped mandrel 13 is rigid with and projects longitudinally from the outer end of the extension 12 and is preferably provided with a tapered outer extremity 13a. The mandrel may be formed integrally with the extension 12, if desired, or may be a separate part, press-fitted at its inner end into a bore 14 formed in the extension, as shown in FIGURE 3.

The mandrel 13 is of a substantially lesser diameter I than the extension 12, so that the end of the extension provides an annular shoulder 15 at the base of the mandrel. The extension 12 is also provided with a blind bore 16 which extends inwardly from the shoulder 15 at the base of the mandrel 13 and in parallel therewith, as illustrated.

When the invention is placed in use, an end portion 17a of a piece of wire 17 is inserted in the bore 16, and, while holding the wire with one hand and the handle 11 with the other, the wire is wound around the mandrel 13 to form a coil, indicated at 17b in FIGURE 5. The inside diameter of this coil corresponds to the diameter of the mandrel which, in turn, corresponds substantially to the thickness of the wire being spliced.

The coil 17b may consist of only a few turns, or may extend over the entire length of the mandrel. However, in winding the coil, care is taken to space apart the convolutions thereof somewhat, for the purpose hereinafter described.

After the coil is formed, the mandrel 13 is withdrawn therefrom and a straight end portion of another wire 18 is inserted into the coil as shown in FIGURE 6. If desired, the end portion 17a of the coil 17b may be cut off before insertion of the wire 18, so that it does not unduly increase the length of the splice. In any event, the splicing operation is then completed by filling in the spaces between the convolutions of the coil 17b with molten solder, or the like, as indicated at 19 in FIGURE 7, whereby the two wires are securely bound together.

It is to be noted that the shoulder 15 provides an effective abutment for the wire and the bore 16 affords positive anchoring means for the wire end portion 17a while the coil is being wound on the mandrel, and that both the bore 16 and the mandrel 13 permit the formed coil to be readily removed by a simple withdrawal of the tool.

In the modified form of the invention shown in FIG- URES 8-11 inclusive, the handle extension 12a is provided at the end thereof with a transverse groove 20 to receive the end portion of the wire for purposes of anchorage, the groove 20 being disposed at one of the mandrel 13 and the portion of the handle extension at the outside of the groove providing a convenient detent 21 to engage the wire. As shown, the extension shoulder 15a in this instance is sloped toward the groove 20 to facilitate insertion of the wire in the groove.

In addition to the anchoring means afiorded by the groove 20 and detent 21, this form of the invention may be also provided with the anchoring bore 16, as in the embodiment previously described.

The form of the invention shown in FIGURES 8-11 is particularly well adapted for forming a coil 17b intermediate the ends of the wire 17 as illustrated in FIG- URE 11, in which event an intermediate portion of the wire is inserted in the groove 20 for engagement by the "detent 21 while the coil is being formed. The ends of the wire may either be free or already secured to some portions of the work, and the coil may be formed intermdiate the ends of the Wire without the necessity of removing the wire from the work.

'In FIGURE 12 the tool includes the anchoring bore 16 at one side of the mandrel and an anchoring means which includes the groove 20 and detent 21. It is to be noted that the bore 16 is in the sloping shoulder 15a.

While in the foregoingthere have been described and shown the preferred embodiment of the invention, various modifications may become apparent to those skilled in the art to which the invention relates. Accordingly, it is not desired to limit the invention to this disclosure, and various modifications may be resorted to, such as may lie within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed as new is:

1. A tool for coiling wire ends preparatory to splicing thereof, said tool comprising: an elongated handle; and a rod-shaped mandrel rigid with and projecting longitudinally forward from one end of said handle and adapted to have a coil of wire wound thereon, said mandrel being of substantially lesser diameter than the thickness of said handle and of slightly greater diameter than the wire to be spliced, whereby the end of the handle afiords a shoulder at the base of the mandrel, there being a groove in the end of the handle having the mandrel, said groove being tangential with said mandrel and atthebase thereof for reception of an end portion of wire for the purpose of anchorage of said end portion of the wire, the portion of the handle at the outer side of the groove providing a detent for engagement of the wire, the adjacent portion of said handle at the opposite side of the groove being inclined upwardly from the bottom of the transverse groove and in a spiral extending part way about the mandrel and toward the free end thereof, there being a bore extending longitudinally inwardly of the handle from the inclinded surface at the mandrel end thereof and on an'axis substantially parallel with the axis of the mandrel, said bore removably receiving and anchoring wire end portions while an adjacent portion of said wire handle affords a shoulder at the base of the mandrel, there being a groove in the end of the handle having the mandrel, said groove being tangential with said mandrel and at the base thereof for reception of an end portion of wire for the purpose of anchorage of said end portion of the wire, the portion of the handle at the outer side of the groove providing a detent for engagement of the wire, the adjacent portion of said handle at the opposite side of the groove being inclined upwardly from the bottom of the transverse groove and in a spiral extending part way about the mandrel and toward the free end thereof.

3. A tool for forming coils in end portions .of wire preparatory to splicing thereof, said tool comprising: an elongated handle; and a rod-shaped mandrel rigid with and projecting longitudinally forward from one .end of said handle and adapted to have a coil of wire wound thereon, said mandrel being of substantially lesser diameter than the thickness of said handle and of slightly greater diameter than that of the wire to be spliced, the

end of the handle having a .shoulder 'at the base of the mandrel, there being a groove in the end of the handle having the mandrel, said groove extending transversely of the handlejat the base of the mandrel for reception of an end portion .of wire for the purpose of anchorage thereof, the portion of the handle at the outer side of the groove providing an abutment for engagement of the wire; and an inclined part of the handle at the opposite side of the groove sloping toward the groove to facilitate insertion of the'wire into said groove.

4. .In a toolfor forming coils in end portions of wire preparatory to splicing thereof: an elongated handle; and a rod-shaped mandrel rigid with and projecting longitudinally forward from one end of said handle and adapted to have a coil of wire wound thereon; a shoulder ;at the base of the mandrel, there being a groove in the 7 base portion of the .shoulder tangential with the mandrel for reception of an end portion of wire for the purpose of anchorage of said end portion of the wire, the portion .of the shoulder at the :outer side of the groove providing a detent for engagement of the wire, the adjacent portion:

of the shoulder at the opposite side of the groovebeing inclinded upwardly from the bottom of the transverse groove and in a spiral extending part way about the mandrel and towardthe free end thereof, the inner side of said inclined portion having apart in engagement with said mandrel.

. References Cited in the file of this patent 

